Dawn is going to fly

[billvon 3,111]

Dawn, the NASA mission to the asteroids, is going to fly after all, after a congressional attempt to kill it. Looks like it will launch in 2007 and explore the two biggest asteroids out there (Ceres and Vesta.)

One of the coolest thing about Dawn is the propulsion system. It uses a xenon ion engine, an engine with a specific impulse of over 3100 seconds. (The most efficient chemical engine around, the space shuttle main engine, has a specific impulse of only about 450 seconds.) This means it can go much farther on the same fuel. At its most efficient power setting, that means it can boost for six years continuously! The drawback is a low total thrust that results in longer mission times - but that's not a big deal for robotic probes.

Ion engines bridge the gap between our current chemical engines and future engines like nuclear thermal or ICF. Good to see that we're finally starting to use them.

[PhreeZone 20]

I was disappointed to see the project killed. I was suprised when they appeled the decision since as far as I knew that had never happened before.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[jumper03 0]

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I was disappointed to see the project killed. I was suprised when they appeled the decision since as far as I knew that had never happened before.

you should have heard the shit the Science Directorate head took for that fiasco from the Europeans at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference. It was almost a lynch mob mentality.

However, the scope of the mission was greatly reduced to get it under budget.

Scars remind us that the past is real

[TheAnvil 0]

Deep Space One also used an ION engine. Very, very successful mission.

Vinny the Anvil
Post Traumatic Didn't Make The Lakers Syndrome is REAL
JACKASS POWER!!!!!!

[billvon 3,111]

>Deep Space One also used an ION engine.

Yes. DS1 had the ion engine on board as a test; Dawn will be the first one to rely on it completely.

[RhondaLea 4]

Here's a link to today's article from Spaceflight Now:

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0603/27dawnrestart/

Edited to correct link.

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

[jumper03 0]

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Here's a link to today's article from Spaceflight Now:

http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=2148243#2148243

ummm.....wrong link?

Scars remind us that the past is real

[chaoskitty 0]

Dammit.. that link took me in to the speakers corner. I NEVER go in there!

[RhondaLea 4]

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ummm.....wrong link?

I have no idea how I did that. Here's the correct link, and I've also fixed it up above.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0603/27dawnrestart/

For those who are interested, you can subscribe to the newsletter on the home page.

rl

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb

[jumper03 0]

Quote

Quote

ummm.....wrong link?

I have no idea how I did that. Here's the correct link, and I've also fixed it up above.

http://spaceflightnow.com/news/n0603/27dawnrestart/

For those who are interested, you can subscribe to the newsletter on the home page.

rl

there was a bunch of bs in that article....

I wonder if that meeting at the conference had anything to do with this? It is a complete mystery how government agencies operate sometimtes.

Scars remind us that the past is real

[RhondaLea 4]

Another tidbit:

http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/145511main_Dawn_letter.pdf

If you don't know where you're going, you should know where you came from. Gullah Proverb